Phoenix
by Andrew's Slinky
Summary: Van Helsing prides himself on being virtually unflappable, but when a woman who calls herself Phoenix enters the picture he finds himself virtually flapped, but the strange thing is, he doesn't mind.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I only own what you do not recognize, unless otherwise specified and that includes the plot.

Summary: Gabriel Van Helsing is the most infamous monster hunter of all time; he is virtually unflappable, until, a woman who calls herself Phoenix enters the picture. Now he's been flapped, but the really strange thing is that he doesn't mind.

She stood, her muscular body cut hard against the cold winter wind. Her long leather coat blew around her knees; her long dark hair was wrapped up in a bun, tucked beneath the wide brimmed hat that she wore. Her eyes were dark also, but covered by a pair of tinted glasses. Her tan hands stretched and her fingers danced. She was starting to get impatient waiting for her prey to show. She would wait all night though, if that's what it took to get the monster that hunted her current home. She took a deep breath of the cold wind, wishing it wasn't so harsh on her nose; summer winds were so much easier to handle. But she wouldn't complain, it wasn't her style.

Then the scent she had been searching for crossed her sensitive nose. The werewolf was near, she could tell, somewhere between a half and quarter of a mile. She slowly closed her slightly twitchy hands over the worn handle of her most beloved pistol. She waited patiently, still not moving, hoping that she would recognize the werewolf before he got to her.

Then there he was. At least nine feet on his hind legs, his coat a deep grey, almost black, his eyes a piercing yellow green and his howl shook the very foundation of packed earth beneath her feet. He was an elder, there was white surrounding his muzzle, but no red, and she took deep relief in that.

She slowly removed the pistol from its holster and cocked it. The werewolf immediately looked in her direction and she held her breath knowing that if she moved, he would most likely kill her before she could get a shot off. Not that she didn't have faith in her monster hunting skills, but she knew werewolves and vampires and gremlins and warlocks and she knew when she'd win and she knew when she'd lose. And if he turned just a few inches before she could get a shot off, then she was just going to be a heap on the forest floor and the red surrounding his muzzle.

The werewolf started to move and she didn't hesitate she lifted the pistol and fired off two of the six chamber rounds. The first hit his shoulder and the second hit him in the chest, right where his heart would be. It didn't stop him, he kept coming at her and she let out another two rounds of her beloved silver bullets. The first hit his hip and the second his arm. He fell to the forest floor and she let out a loud sigh, relieved that he had finally gone down, usually only one bullet struck down her opponents.

She took a step closer to see whom the victim of the horrible disease was, but he wasn't turning back into a human and she watched the limp body in fascinated horror. She bent over him and looked down just as his wide eyes snapped open. She started to leap back but she wasn't quite fast enough and his right paw caught her shoulder, leaving five very long and very deep scratches that went through her leather coat, black button up, and then her tan skin, her blood spurted out like from a fountain and she gave a cry of pain as she clutched her shoulder on instinct, dropping her pistol. She hit the ground hard and rolled out of the way as the werewolf started to stand and almost trampled her. She gave him a roundhouse to the back of his knees and he tumbled to the ground with a yelp. She scrambled to her feet and swept up the pistol with her good arm. She raised it and let off the rest of the rounds of silver bullets. Every shot hit the intended target and when he hit the ground he stayed there; his body slowly morphed back into the man he had once been and she kneeled next to him, prayed for his soul and crossed herself before reaching into her pack at the bottom of a far tree and covering the elderly man's body in a soft blanket. She sighed deeply; at least it hadn't been a child this time. She crossed herself again for good measure and walked through the dark woods in silence; headed back to her hotel for a long bath and some medication for her newly acquired scratches that would only add to the many lengths of scars that littered her body.

Van Helsing waited for the werewolf that was supposed to be hunting this village. He had seen the corpses and saw the calculation in the bites. Whoever the werewolf was, it knew what it was and took a pleasure in the kills. The bodies weren't maimed telling his experienced eyes that the werewolf had been such for a very long time; it was not new to the art of killing.

He had been waiting for almost eight hours and he knew that it would get light soon. He had yet to see a single sign of a werewolf or anything out of the ordinary in the dark that surrounded him and he congratulated himself on making Carl stay back at the hotel. The monk had a hard time staying patient, he was too easily spooked and often wanted to leave the dark to go back to the light and safety of the villages before they had even truly begun hunting.

Yet, maybe it wouldn't have mattered, it looked like the werewolf wasn't going to show, and as he started off for a new spot a little closer to the village he heard it. The all too familiar howl of a werewolf and the small part of him that was still laced with the curse from the fight against Dracula howled in return, begging him to find his brother. He shook off the small urge but headed towards the sound anyway to kill the monster that had been stealing children and murdering the parents. He heard shots ring out and a small spike of fear went through him, he had warned the villagers to stay away, but it sounded like someone had not headed his plea.

When he reached the source of the sounds it was not what he had expected. There was an elderly man dead on the ground, and a dark figure was covering him gently with a blanket. Van Helsing caught the sight of six bullet holes in the man's body and crossed himself.

He watched as the dark figure gently tucked the edges of the blanket around the body, crossed itself and prayed quietly for the man's soul. The figure sighed and as it walked away Van Helsing noticed three things. It crossed itself a second time, it was bleeding profusely from its shoulder and it smelled of something spicy yet flowery that he couldn't place.

He waited patiently for the dark figure to leave before he knelt next to the old man's body and confirmed his thoughts. Silver bullets, this man had been the werewolf. He stood, sent a small prayer to the heavens above and then made the short trek back to the village and his hotel.

She preferred to room alone, her companion knew that, but he also knew that if she needed him she'd come and stay with him; it looked like it was going to be one of those nights as he watched through the window as she came closer to the hotel, her shoulder bleeding and a thoughtful look on her face.

He turned from the sight of his charge and pulled out his extensive medical kit. He set it on the bed as he left his room to fetch some warm water and a rag to clean her cuts.

She walked into the hotel intent on getting a hot bath and some well deserved sleep. She weaved her way through the hallways and carefully opened the door to her room, being very careful and wary of her injured shoulder.

She nudged the door open and stepped into her room; it wasn't overly large or overly impressive, but it was clean and that was all she wanted. She kicked the door shut behind her and with some difficulty managed to remove her many weapons and the better part of her clothing and get a better look at the marks on her shoulder in the mirror.

She peered into the mirror, half-hoping that she would see something other than what was staring back at her. Her hair was long and slightly ragged from not being clean; her skin was tanned from the sun, and her eyes. Her eyes had been damaged in a fight two years before. A large scar ran through her left, leaving it permanently scarred and unable to see color or far away. Her right eye looked untouched but it was just as scarred. She couldn't see close with it and the colors often got mixed up, though she could most of the time tell which colors were being switched.

Her torso was covered in scratches and bites from the many monsters she had killed over the years, some scars were thick and brown and ugly, others were thin and white, barely noticeable against her skin but there all the same. And now her once untouched right shoulder was covered in red blood and five long scratches. She groaned as she tried to move it, and found that it was futile. Her right arm wasn't going to be the same, at least not for a while.

There was a knock at her door, and she quickly threw her black button up back on, tearing the cuts on her shoulder even more, before answering it. There stood her companion, his bright blue eyes staring at her and her torn shirt in concern.

'I'm okay, just a werewolf scratch.' She attempted to sound nonchalant, but he could hear the pain in her words.

'I have first aid in my room, come on.' He gestured her into the hallway and she followed him willingly. He led her down a hallway and then down a flight of stairs, where they passed a man. He was tall, over six feet, dark hair and hazel eyes. She locked gazes with him, her glasses back on, and he stared right back at her, unabashed in his interest. She averted her gaze as they passed on the same stair, but he continued staring for a few more steps before turning his head away.

Van Helsing walked through the dark, and now, safe woods, half of him glad that he hadn't had to kill that man, and half of him wondering if that was really a good thing. Whoever had killed the wolf had known it was the right thing to do, and was therefore on his side. Yet, the more pessimistic side of his brain countered, the person could have accidentally come across the wolf and only killed him in self-defense. But then why bless his soul with a prayer and cross yourself to hope he got into heaven, and who just carried silver bullets? The person who he didn't even know was starting to confuse him.

He sighed in relief as he reached the hotel and walked into its warmth. He needed sleep after a fruitless night of hunting, but he knew he would have to talk to Carl, who was sure to be waiting up for him to see how it had gone. As he walked up the stairs towards the floor his room was on he passed a pair of people. The first was a man who was just a bit shorter than himself, with straw colored hair and bright blue eyes filled with worry. The person behind him was a woman with dark hair, and eyes that were hidden behind tinted glasses. She wore a black button up that was ripped at the shoulder, but it wasn't a fashion statement, he could see the blood.

They locked gazes as they passed and Van Helsing couldn't seem to breath as they did so. There was something very familiar about this woman, and then it hit him, the scent of the dark figure. Something spicy yet flowery, it was perfume, the same perfume the woman passing him was wearing. Her shoulder was damaged just as the dark figure's was, and she was wearing a silver crucifix around her neck, a religious woman. She was the dark figure. The dark figure was a woman, meaning that it had been a woman who had killed that werewolf and covered him with the blanket. Was she a fellow monster hunter or just someone caught in the crossfire? He had a feeling there wasn't going to be much sleep in his future.

She sat heavily on her watcher's bed and waited patiently for him to bring the bowl of water. He dipped the end of a soft rag into the warm water and dabbed at her scratches. She hissed in pain and felt the urge to move her shoulder out of his range, but ignored it, knowing that it wouldn't make a difference, he would hold her down and tie her up if he had to.

'Didn't I tell you to be careful?' he scolded her and she nodded in slight amusement, it was so funny to her that he thought he could tell her to do anything.

'Yes, Michael, you did.' She replied to him, as he pressed harder against her shoulder.

'You're lucky it didn't bite you.' He reminded her and she nodded, no amusement in her gaze.

'I know.' She thanked God everyday that had yet to happen, because she knew that the day it did, Michael would have to use her weapons for the first and last time, he would have to make sure that she didn't hurt anyone.

'There.' He finished bandaging her shoulder and handed her one of his own button ups, which, was two and a half sizes too big but she pulled it on anyway and he assisted her in buttoning it.

She surveyed her image in the mirror on his wall and was as satisfied as she was ever going to be. You couldn't see the scratches or bandages, which meant that she could go to the village looking just as tough as she had when she'd arrived.

Most people regarded her with shock when they learned she was a woman, most thought she was a man, and she had yet to reach a village where anyone had even entertained the thought that she might be a woman, and she liked it that way. If no one knew of her true gender then she could still get jobs, still get paid for her vigilante work.

'You'll be as good as new in a few days, maybe a little more than a week.' He told her gently as he placed a calm hand on her uninjured arm.

'Good, I got wind of a vampire problem a couple villages over.' She replied and he sighed exhaustedly.

'Are you ever going to rest?' he asked her.

'No, not until every creature of the night is destroyed.' She answered with venom and Michael nodded, he knew her reasons and he knew that they were the most noble reasons you could have, but that didn't stop him from wishing that she would take a vacation every once in a while.

'Goodnight Michael.' She told him as she started towards the door, he replied with his own goodnight and she slipped out the door, up the stairs and down the hall to her own room. She nudged open the door, kicked it shut, flopped down on the bed and pulled the covers up and around her, intent on getting a few hours of sleep, she'd get her bath in the morning before she left.

Van Helsing entered his and Carl's room, and it was no surprise to him that Carl was up and waiting, a first-aid kit next to him and a book in his lap.

'Oh, Van Helsing, how did it go?' he asked him nervously, surveying the look on his friend's face with worry.

'The werewolf won't be bothering anyone.' He told him and Carl smiled.

'Oh, so you got him then?'

'No.'

His smile faltered and he looked at the other man with a confused expression.

'What?'

'I didn't get a chance. There was someone else, a woman, she killed him.'

'A woman?' asked Carl, his surprise not hidden in the least little bit.

'Yes, the wolf scratched her, but she got him with six silver bullets.'

'A woman?' asked Carl again, still trying to get his brain around that fact. A woman hunter wasn't unheard of, Anna was an example, but she had been a special case, in fact, the only case of a woman hunter that Carl had ever come across in his readings and the only one that Van Helsing had come across in his years of fieldwork.

'Yes Carl, I'm sure it was a woman.' And with that said he launched into a detailed account of everything he had seen that night, including the woman he had passed on the stairs.

'She was wearing glasses, but we locked gazes anyway, and she was wearing the same perfume as the dark figure, and had the scratches in the same place, it had to be her, Carl, the question is, where did she come from, who is she working for, and why?'

'Can't we just go back to the Vatican, job done?' asked Carl, knowing the answer but asking the hopeful question anyway.

'No, I have to find her, and find out who she is.' Replied Van Helsing as he put his weapons away, pulled off his coat, hat and belt, toed off his heavy boots and flopped into bed. Carl did the same, and soon the room was filled with the sound of his heavy breathing but Van Helsing lay there, staring up at the ceiling, thinking all about the woman he had passed on the stairs and wondering who she was.


	2. Chapter 2

She had only slept a few hours and was wishing that she could have stayed that way for much longer. Her head was pounding and her damaged shoulder was on fire, but she got up anyway and poured the hot water for her much-needed bath. She let down her dark hair from its confines and shook it out, running her fingers through it. She brushed it out as best she could before stripping down and stepping gently into her bath. She hissed when the hot water came in contact with her shoulder but started the task of washing anyway, it would do no good to get an infection because her shoulder stung a little bit.

She stepped into her room, a towel wrapped tightly around her, fresh from her wash. She grabbed her worn black pants, her favorite dark blue button up, and the only pair of boots that she had. She slipped them on and pulled her hair back, still wet. She put on her leather coat, her wide-brimmed black hat, her tinted glasses and grabbed her bag of weapons, strapping on her pistol, a dagger, and sliding a silver stake into her boots. She quickly made the bed and then stalked out the door, shutting it gently behind her and starting down the stairs towards Michael's room, they would need to leave very soon if they were to make it to another village before nightfall.

'Michael?' she asked as she opened the door to her watcher's room. There was no answer and she walked further into the room to try and find him.

'Michael?' she called again, but there was still no answer and she had searched everywhere, he wasn't in his room.

'Where is he?' she asked under her breath as she went down the rest of the stairs, her bag slung over her shoulder and her hat pushed down to cover her face. She entered the pub that occupied the bottom floor of the hotel and saw her fair-haired watcher sitting at the bar, talking to two men, one of them the man that she had passed on the stairs.

'Michael?' she asked as she came up to the three men and her watcher turned and stared at her with wide eyes like a kid whose mother caught him with his hand in the cookie jar.

'Oh hello.'

She merely raised an eyebrow in question and Michael looked away uncomfortably, knowing that once they were alone, he was in for a good tongue-lashing. His charge loved anonymity, she didn't like to talk to anyone, and she didn't like him to talk to anyone either.

'Hello.' She was ever polite and turned her head towards the two men that were watching the exchange.

'Oh, this is Gabriel Van Helsing and his companion Carl.' She held her hand out and shook both of their hands.

'And what do we call you?' asked Gabriel.

'Phoenix.' She replied softly as she looked him up and down, she had heard of the infamous Gabriel Van Helsing and his last adventure where he had killed Dracula.

'The phoenix?' asked Carl and she quirked an eyebrow.

'It's just…everyone says you are a man.' He stuttered at her look and she gave him a soft smile.

'Well, what everyone says is wrong. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Van Helsing, your reputation precedes you.'

'And your reputation precedes you.' He acknowledged good-naturedly.

'And my reputation precedes your reputation, but I doubt that is relevant right now.' Her answer was quick and sharp and he favored her with a disbelieving look but said nothing.

'Michael, I believe we should go. If you'll excuse us, there's a vampire problem a few villages over.'

Michael got up and followed her out of the hotel. Van Helsing and Carl stood there for a moment in slight shock before Gabriel ran after them.

'Which village?' he asked.

'One that is just a few miles over, we should get there before nightfall.' She replied softly and he smirked at her.

'Well, in that case, we'll accompany you.'

'No!' her answer was sharp.

'Why?'

'I hunt alone.'

'So do I usually, but I've hunted vampires before and you'll need a back up.'

'I do not need anything Mr. Van Helsing. Least of all your help, now if you'll excuse me.' She turned on her heel and she and Michael started down the streets.

'You're walking?' called Gabriel.

'Yes.' She called over her shoulder, wishing she hadn't gotten out of bed this morning.

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'Why didn't you accept his help?' asked Michael once they were at least a mile down the road, well out of hearing range.

'Because, I do not need to be worrying about someone else when I am trying to fight a vampire.' She replied sharply.

'Phoenix…' he shook his head, she was far too worried about losing someone to realize that she couldn't fight alone anymore.

'I don't want to hear it Michael, until it becomes apparent that I need help, I will fight alone.'

'But you do need help.'

'No, I don't I do not need to worry about someone else's life when I am out there fighting for my own.'

'Phoenix…' she didn't respond, 'Adalia.' He used her real name and she stopped dead in her tracks, tears springing to her eyes. She hadn't heard that name in nearly eleven years.

'You need help.'

'I have you don't I?' she asked him, and even though her emotion was evident in her eyes it didn't translate to her voice.

'Yes, you will always have me, but I'm starting to worry that it won't be enough anymore.'

'Michael, you worry too much.' She told him as she turned to face him and he smiled at her.

'Yes, well, when you love someone, you worry.' He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and she sighed, dropping her head onto his shoulder for a moment before they kept walking forward to their newest destination.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everybody, I'm back with a fresh new chapter, hope you enjoy. And as always, read and review my darlings!

It had taken quite a bit longer for them to reach the new village than Phoenix had initially planned and she was starting to get anxious as the sun disappeared behind the line of trees. This village had a vampire problem, and when the sun went down, the vamps came out. She had hoped to get to the village before nightfall and do a little recon work. Find out when the vampires came out, what kind of people they tended to attack, and what part of the village they hunted in, but now she wouldn't get a chance, the light was rapidly disappearing and her only impenetrable cover along with it.

'Phoenix, I don't like this.' Stated Michael as the nocturnal creatures started to awake and rustle in the leaves.

'Neither do I, but we don't have a choice, it isn't as if we can bring the sun back up.' She snapped in reply, annoyed with herself for not allowing for more time.

'Well, then what do we do?' asked Michael, unsure of himself. He never accompanied Phoenix when she went hunting, he merely waited for her to return and give her first aid if needed.

'We try to make it into the village before we are attacked.'

'And if we don't?'

'Michael, if we are attacked I want you to stay here, but do not get into the middle of it.'

'Phoenix…' he started to protest but she sent a look his way and he instantly silenced, even if he couldn't see her eyes, he got the message that her look was trying to convey.

'Fine.' He caved and she gave him a faint smile.

'Thank you.'

They only managed to take a few more steps towards the now apparent lights of the village before them when the sunlight dropped to nothing and Phoenix felt the hair rise on the back of her neck. They were being hunted, by what she wasn't sure, she had never felt this presence before while out hunting.

Michael noticed her shoulders tense and her entire body became more on alert, his grip around the cross on his rosary in his pocket tightened.

He felt a rush of air pass him but before he could even turn around he was hit in the back of the knees and tumbled unceremoniously to the ground, Phoenix quickly following suit. He expected to feel hot breath on his neck before the creature tore out his throat, but it never came.

'Stay low.' Was the order and he heard Phoenix snort in indignation.

'I will not.' She replied as she flipped over and back onto her feet. Michael could barely make out her form in the darkness and managed to identify the one next to her as a man, a man who was considerably taller than her.

'Listen, we are being hunted and I do not have time to argue.' Replied the man shortly; a slight growl to his voice and Michael recognized it.

'Then I'll make it easy for you, get out of my way.' Snapped Phoenix as she pulled her silver stake from her belongings and headed out into the darkness. The man sighed and ran his fingers through his hair before following her, the annoyance palpable in his footsteps.

Michael slowly got to his feet and headed into the village, he had better get the first-aid kit ready for when the pair of monster hunters returned.

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'What are you doing here, I told you not to come.' Her anger was obvious.

'I don't really take orders.' Was his smirked reply and she turned on her heel, stopping in place, effectively blocking him from taking another step with her own body.

'You listen to me,' she poked him in the chest with a finger, hard, 'I don't care if you want to be a macho man, I don't care if you want to hunt monsters and try to keep the world safe, because we both know it is the right thing to do, but do not come into my hunting territory and mess up my chances, I can't fight off the forces of evil while worrying if you're going to pop up in the middle of a fight.' She snapped, her voice hard and he smiled down at her before taking her much smaller hand in his own and moving it away from his chest and more towards her.

'I can handle myself.'

She growled low in her throat before turning back around, as he continued to smile at her, before following her into the dark woods.

'It isn't safe for you to be out here.' He told her as they reached the denser section of trees near the middle of the forest.

'It isn't safe for you either, but you are still here.'

She had a point and he couldn't decide if it annoyed him or not.

'Yes, but I know how to hunt.'

'As do I, I have been doing this since I was young Mr. Van Helsing, I have never needed help before and I certainly do not need it now.'

'But you've never hunted vampires before, I have.'

'Stakes, crosses, sunlight, holy water, decapitation, burning, I know how to kill a vampire.'

'Yes, but you can't see in the dark, they'll have you outmanned and outnumbered.'

'I have been both outmanned and outnumbered before Mr. Van Helsing, and I have always done just fine.' Of course it was a lie, all you had to do was look at the condition of her eyes, the scars that littered her body, the menagerie of broken bones that she had continued to fight with before they healed, to know that it was a lie.

'Vampires are tricky, they won't attack outright, they'll lull you into a sense of security then strike.'

'Much like a human would.' She replied as she shot him a look over her shoulder and he gave her a faint smirk, she was right of course.

'Yes, like a human would.'

'So, is that your objective Mr. Van Helsing, have the Nights of the Holy Order sent you to take me out?' she asked him with a teasing lilt to her voice and his faint smirk turned into a real smile.

'They don't know I'm here, I was supposed to destroy the wolf and then report back for another assignment.'

'Yet something keeps you here.' She stated the obvious as she turned to him and stopped once more.

'Yes, I was curious.' He replied as he took a step closer to her than entirely necessary.

'About?' she asked him, already knowing the answer.

'You.' He answered, unabashed.

She opened her mouth to say something else when she was hit from the side, too preoccupied with the man in front of her to be paying attention to the dark world around her.

She slammed into a far tree and felt her vision slide as her body swayed a bit as she tried to stand back on unsure feet.

'Oomph.' She hit the ground again with a muffled thump as she lost her balance, just in time to watch Gabriel go flying over her head and into the tree that she was currently leaning against. He started towards the ground and she only just managed to roll out of the way before he hit the dirt where she had been just seconds before.

'Hahahaha.' The cackle was high pitched and it sent cold shivers down Phoenix's spine as she reached for her stake to find that it wasn't there. She reached along the ground blindly as the vampire swooped in from the sky towards her and Van Helsing who had yet to move from his place by the tree.

Phoenix grabbed his ankle and pulled as hard as she could, dragging the much larger man just out of the reach of the vampire and she had to change direction, arching back up into the inky night sky.

Phoenix continued to reach blindly for her stake but she couldn't find it, she wished that she had brought her equipment with her as the vampire swooped in again and barely missed her. She searched through her pockets, pulling out her knife, she flipped onto her back and as the vampire swooped in again she threw with expert precision, but the vampire saw the glint of the knife in the dark and managed to dodge to her left just a bit, causing the knife to miss her heart and slice through her shoulder. She screamed and twirled like some sick ballerina into the sky, taking off towards her home, the piercing of the silver enough to deter her for the night.

Phoenix lay on the ground, her breathing heavy and her entire body throbbing, regretting that she had missed, that was her favorite dagger. A groan interrupted her thoughts of revenge and she crawled over to Gabriel's once still form.

'Are you okay?' she asked him, intent on yelling at him as soon as she was sure he wouldn't die.

'I think so, what…' he trailed off as she leaned over him in concern and all sorts of images flashed through his head.

'Vampire, but don't worry, I got her.' She replied as she helped him to his feet, swaying on her own.

'She's killed?'

'No, but she has a nasty stab wound.' Answered Phoenix absentmindedly as she placed her fingertips to the back of her skull and then pulled them towards her face. She sniffed them and drew back instantly, it wasn't mud, it was her blood.

'Are you alright?' asked Van Helsing as he gauged her reaction to the substance on her fingers.

'Just a little blood.'

He reached out silently and pulled her a bit closer, his hands tangling in her dark hair as he felt gently along her scalp. She would never admit it in a million years even under the most severe forms of torture, but it felt good, _he_ felt good.

'You have a pretty nasty cut, c'mon, we better get you to Michael and his first-aid kit.' His voice was teasing but concerned and it was a foreign feeling for Phoenix, having someone other than Michael be concerned about her well being.

'Okay.' She nodded as she bent down and swiped her hat off the ground, placing it gingerly back onto her now damaged head before the pair of them staggered off towards the village, wondering how many nights it would take to destroy the one vampire that had bested them both.

-------------------------------------------------------------There you go, another chapter, hope you liked it. See that bluish-purple button down there? Click on it, you know you want to. Read and review babies!


	4. Chapter 4

'I told you to be more careful!' thundered Michael as he took a look at the large cut across the back of Phoenix's skull, but she wasn't listening to him, she was too busy glaring at Van Helsing as he smirked at her from across the room.

'Phoenix. Adalia, listen to me, I cannot keep letting you go out there if every time you come back with cuts and bruises.' He had quieted his voice and used her real first name, capturing her attention.

'Michael, you worry too much. I'm fine. Ow!' she slapped his hand away as he tugged at her hair a little too hard.

'Sorry, but if you would be more careful, things like this wouldn't happen.' He scolded her as he wrapped a bandage around her head.

'Yeah, yeah, I know.' She replied quietly as she slipped her hat on to cover the white bandage. She locked gazes with Gabriel, his smirk still firmly in place.

'What?' she asked him in annoyance and he shrugged.

'Nothing.' He shook his head and she glared at him, as his smirk became a smile.

'Your turn, Mr. Van Helsing.' Interrupted Michael and Gabriel nodded, stepping over towards the monk, stripping himself of his jacket and then his shirt, exposing quite a few scratches and bruises across his muscular chest.

Phoenix knew she shouldn't look, but for some reason she couldn't tear her eyes away from the exquisite male form in front of her. She couldn't afford distractions, especially one as cocky and gorgeous as Gabriel Van Helsing, she needed to stay focused on her work, it was too important to her.

She managed to raise her gaze from his tan, muscular chest up to his stormy hazel eyes and he smirked at her, catching her in her unabashed interest. Her eyes widened when she realized he had seen her checking him out and when he winked at her she could feel her cheeks flame in embarrassment.

She quickly ducked her head, letting her hair fall to cover her face and she could hear his quiet chuckle at her discomfort. She raised her eyes back up to his and sent him a frosty glare before slipping out of the room, intent on joining Carl in asking around the village about the vampires.

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'Any luck, Carl?' she asked when she reached his side in the downstairs of the hotel.

'Nothing yet, no one seems to want to talk about them. They all know something but not a one of them will speak up.'

'They're scared, it's understandable.' She replied softly as she looked around the main room of the hotel, listening silently for any talk about them or the vampires.

'I know, but I wish we had more to go on. Vampires are nothing to trifle with.' Carl shuddered and Phoenix sent him a soft smile, realizing that he was as scared of vampires as the people of this village.

'We'll figure it out, after all there are two monster hunters now.'

He looked over at her and nodded, smiling to himself, wondering if the bitterness in her voice was real or just annoyance that she was attracted to and infuriated with the infamous Gabriel Van Helsing.

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'Do we have anything?' asked Gabriel as his best friend and newest acquaintance and alliance entered the room together.

'Nothing.' Replied Carl, glaring at his friend. Gabriel looked confused for a moment before realizing that Phoenix's cheeks had flushed a spectacular color of pink. He smirked in the woman's direction and quickly pulled his shirt back on.

'I'm decent now.' He teased and she glared fiercely at him as she passed to sit in a chair by the window.

'The people of this village are afraid, they won't speak with us.' She said softly into the room, not directing the statement at any one person.

'Are you sure?' asked Michael gently and she nodded.

'Yes, we asked very many people, they all said the same thing. That they knew nothing, only that the vampires needed to be destroyed. They do not know where they spend their time during the day or where they take their prey to devour them, nor do they know if there is any pattern to the attacks.' Her voice was tired and the three men in the room could see her head bobbing on her shoulders as she struggled to keep conscious.

'Perhaps we should all get some sleep, try and figure this out in the morning.' Suggested Michael as he helped his charge stand and led her over towards the bed in the middle of the room.

'Of course, we will speak of this more in the morning.' Nodded Gabriel good naturedly as he and Carl let themselves out of the room.

'I'm all right Michael, only a little tired.' Yawned Phoenix as she sank back into the pillows, Michael pulling off her boots and her hat.

'Very well, sleep sweet Adalia.' He murmured gently against her hair as he kissed her temple goodnight.

'You too.' She managed before her eyes drifted shut and he pulled her tinted glasses off her pretty face, setting them on the table next to the bed and covering the sleeping young woman with a blanket before blowing out the lamp and heading down the hall to his own room.

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'What do you think of her Carl?' asked Gabriel in curiosity as the pair reached their room.

'I think she is a very capable young lady.' Replied Carl diplomatically.

'She's hiding something, she was much too frazzled when I suggested that we help each other.'

'Well, it is too late now, we're here aren't we?' asked Carl as he got ready for bed.

'I suppose, but I can't help but think that once I know what she's hiding I can get her to trust me.'

Carl rolled his eyes and sighed, sinking into his mattress and blowing out the candle that was the lone light in the room.

'Or perhaps, you have to get her to trust you in order for her to tell you the secret she is hiding.'

Gabriel stared at his friend for a moment or two in the dark, wondering when it was that the monk had gotten so enlightened before drifting off into a nightmare filled sleep that he would be more than happy to wake up from.

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So there it is, another chapter, what d'you think? Nice interaction between Phoenix and VH? I hope you liked it. Read and review please!

Andrew's Slinky


	5. Chapter 5

When Phoenix woke up, her mind was foggy and her body felt slightly limp, she felt as though she had been run over by a team of horses. She rubbed her eyes to try and shake the sleep from them but she didn't know what the difference was, she could barely see out of them anyway, after all. The accident two years before could have left her blind, and nearly did, and she thanked God everyday that it hadn't but curse Him every day because it could have.

'Adalia, are you awake?' called Michael as he opened the door to his charges room and she yawned as she sat up all the way.

'Yes Michael, I'm awake.' She called to him as she stretched. He smiled at her as he entered the room fully, handing her tinted glasses to her as she started to stand.

'We should talk to Mr. Van Helsing again, after all, those vampires will be out again tonight.' He warned her quietly as he handed her a few more things.

'Yes Michael, I will talk to him, I promise, but do you think you could let me wake up a bit before I do?'

'Of course, forgive me, I'm just a little nervous.' He nodded at her and she sent him an inquisitive look that he read straight through the dark glasses.

'I need to know that you'll be safe, you've never had a problem taking out the monsters before, but one vampire beat both you and Van Helsing both, I don't like those odds.' He told her, his voice slightly shaky.

'Michael, don't be scared, I'm not afraid, and you shouldn't be either.' She tried to soothe him, placing a hand on his muscular shoulder, wishing that he wouldn't be so afraid for her.

'Adalia, you are the only family I have left, you can't go out there night after night and not think that I won't be afraid for you.'

'Michael, I know that you love me and I love you too, but you can't keep me from avenging…' her sentence was cut off when Van Helsing and Carl entered the room, their eyes bright.

'What happened?' asked Phoenix quickly, adjusting her glasses to be sure they were covering her eyes.

'We think we found where the vampires stay during the day.' Replied Van Helsing excitedly, his eyes sparkling.

'Really? Where?' she asked him softly, unsure if she should let hope take hold.

'Just outside of the village, in an old mansion that used to be owned by a wealthy landowner, but when he died the house was condemned.' Answered Carl excitedly.

'Do we have any idea how large this house is?'

'Very large, and there may be many vampires inside, I think it'd be best to go during the day, after all, the sun will be out, giving the two of you more cover.' Suggested Carl but Michael shook his head.

'No, I don't like the idea of you, either of you, going into a home infested by vampires.' Phoenix sent him a glare that permeated the entire room.

'I can take care of myself Michael, you needn't worry all the time.'

'Phoenix, you have to be more careful, one, only one, of those vampires took out you and Van Helsing both last night and I…'

'Do not like those odds, I know Michael, but we have to protect the people who live in this village.'

'Sometimes, you have to care more about yourself than the people outside.' Replied Michael, his voice shaking in a combined fear and anger.

'Michael, I will give my life to protect the people around me, even if you do not agree with it.' She snapped as she turned on her heel, grabbing her bag of weapons and stalking out of the room, the anger around her palpable.

Gabriel and Carl exchanged looks for a moment before the former took off after his fellow monster hunter, and Carl stayed behind to wait and pray with Michael.

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'Why do you fight with him?' called Gabriel as he followed the pretty woman before him, 'He only wants to help you.'

'If he wanted to help, then he would support my decision.'

'So your fighting is a choice? You put yourself out here night after night to possibly be killed by choice?' he demanded and she spun on her heel, stopping him in his tracks.

'I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. This is my choice, and I have to live with it, if you or Michael disagree then that is your problem, not mine.' Her voice was hard, and cold, and he felt a large shiver run down his spine at the sound.

'Phoenix, you choose to do this, he just wants to understand why.'

She turned away from him and kept walking, making sure that he couldn't see her or the emotion that had appeared on her face. She knew that he was right. Michael understood the motive, but now thought that she had done enough and needed to take a break.

'He used to be able to.' She whispered back, and she wasn't sure if he heard her but she didn't turn back to look, she just kept walking, hoping that he wasn't going to stop her.

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The silent pair came upon a large, stone mansion, the lights all out due to heavily covered windows and the door looked like it had been slammed shut quite a few times.

'Is this it?' she asked aloud and he nodded.

'Yes.'

'So, do we have a plan?'

'Not really.'

'Oh, okay, that should work well.' Her sarcasm didn't go unmissed but he chose to ignore it for the time being.

'I think we should just find out how many there are and go from there.'

'And if there are too many for us to handle?' she asked him, a small twinge of fear lacing her soft voice.

'Then we run like hell back to the cover of the sun.' he replied and she smiled.

'Okay, that sounds like that could work.' She nodded as she pulled out her silver stake, that she hadn't had a chance to use before, and held it tightly in her uninjured arm.

'You ready?' he asked her as he stood by the door, his hand on the handle.

'Yes.' She nodded as she took a step closer, tightening her grip on her weapon.

'Three, two, one.' He nodded and then swung the door open, the two of them entered the building quietly, their weapons raised.

The door swung on its hinges as the pair entered the foyer, the dust from the ceiling hung over them like a blanket and Phoenix sneezed.

'Shh.'

'Sorry.' She mouthed as she listened for a disturbance in the house, but when she didn't hear one they continued on.

'I don't like this.' She told him as they entered the living room, all of the mirrors were smashed, the shards still littering the carpeted floor, the dust sticking to all the furniture and an ancient piano in the corner.

'Me neither, we should go.' Suggested Gabriel and she nodded in agreement.

'Yeah, lets.' She nodded and the pair turned around but there were several corpses in their way.

Phoenix swore violently before launching herself into an attack, Gabriel just a few steps behind her. Phoenix had a hold of one of the females, while Gabriel tried to fend off the two males left.

'Get to the door.' He called over the noise of the scuffle and Phoenix nodded before stabbing her vampiress with her stake, and she watched in a grim satisfaction as the woman in her hands burst into a soft flame and then crumbled to ash.

She spun on her heel and then tore through the three men fighting, latching onto Gabriel's wrist and dragging him out and into the sun. He ran after her and the pair didn't stop until they were inside of the village, far enough away from the vampires to feel safe.

They stopped running and both bent over, their breathing heavy and labored.

'That was too close.'

'Yeah, you think?' replied Phoenix, an edge to her voice.

'Lets get back, we need to plan better.'

'Okay.'

And the pair of monster hunters headed off to tell their watchers what had happened.


	6. Chapter 6

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'You're back awfully soon.' Michael's voice was wary, when his charge was earlier than expected she was usually too hurt to fight.

'I'm all right Michael, we were a bit outnumbered.' She explained as he started forward with bandages in his hand.

'How outnumbered?' asked Carl, looking over at Van Helsing who shrugged.

'Oh, by at least eight or nine.' He replied with an air of indifference.

'Not to mention the one that almost murdered us both the night before and I have a feeling that there are more out there.' Broke in Phoenix, a bit of fear creeping into her voice.

'So, it's a nest?' asked Michael, understanding Phoenix's fear, the last nest she had encountered had left her broken, both emotionally and physically.

'Yes. A large one.' She answered, her voice shaking out of her control, something everyone in the room noticed and no one commented on.

'So what do we do?' asked Carl.

'Come up with a better plan of attack.' Replied Gabriel, his gaze never leaving Phoenix's face, his mind racing through all the scenarios that would make her so afraid of a nest of vampires. She had obviously fought a nest before, she had obviously fought vampires before, so why was she so afraid?

'Phoenix?' asked Gabriel, intent on finding an answer.

'Yes Mr. Van Helsing?' she asked him, her voice a bit calmer.

'This isn't your first nest of vampires is it?' he asked her and she looked a bit shaken at the question.

'No…no it isn't, I have fought one before.'

'By yourself?' he asked.

'Yes.' She nodded curtly and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

'How did you vanquish them?' he asked her and she shook her head sadly, obviously in no mood to disclose any detail on the matter.

'I didn't.'

'How…?'

'It doesn't matter Mr. Van Helsing, it is over with now, and I cannot go back and change it no matter how much I wish that I could. So we must deal with the nest that is causing our current problem, no point in dwelling on the past.'

'Of course not, let's concentrate on the problem at hand.' He conceded, logging away her reaction to the nest for further exploration and brooding upon.

'Okay, so we know where they are, and we basically know how many there are. So that gives us a little bit of an advantage. But, there could be more, and they know we know where they are, they know what we are, and they know where we are. So vampires four, hunters two. We're on the losing team here.' She ticked off all the pros and cons on her fingers, coming up with more cons than pros.

'So we're outnumbered and outmaneuvered?' asked Michael, trying to grasp onto his charge's logic.

'Pretty much.' Nodded Phoenix as she sighed, running a hand down her face as she took her glasses off.

'You okay?' asked Michael in concern as she sat down and pinched the bridge of her nose.

'Yes, my eyes are stinging a bit, but it isn't anything I can't handle.' She told him as she opened her eyes to look over at him.

'Oh my goodness.' Gasped Carl as he saw the scars.

'Are the scars reopening?' asked Michael as he kneeled down to her height, looking her in the eye.

'No, I think that the magic of the blade has worn down at least, they won't reopen, they just sting a bit.' She replied as he started to trace the scars with his fingers, looking over the damage done to her once beautiful face.

'What happened?' asked Gabriel, his curiosity getting the better of him as he saw the damage done to her eyes.

'I got in a fight with a sorcerer. He was bewitching members of a village, making them do things that they would never have done on their own, and he attacked me with a magically curse blade. The left can't see color or distance and the right mixes up colors, and I have trouble seeing close with it.' She answered him, her voice seeming far away as she relived the fight in her mind, going over every hit and every blow, the outcome always the same. Scars that just added to the menagerie that covered her body.

'Phoenix?' asked Carl.

'Yes?' she replied, shaking herself out of her memories.

'Did you destroy him?' he asked and she smiled, a little giggle escaping her lips.

'Yes, Carl, I did.'

'Even with the eyesight problem?'

'I didn't even have eyesight when I defeated him, but I suppose that is irrelevant.' She shrugged.

'You were blind?'

'Yes.'

'For how long?'

'Two weeks. Michael nursed me back to health and I can see for the most part.' She shrugged in explanation and the two men in front of her looked surprised and mildly impressed.

'You defeated magic without eyesight, and yet you are afraid of a nest of vampires?' asked Van Helsing, and at the look on her face as she slid her glasses back on he knew that he had crossed the line.

'I am not afraid, and you had better get all your information together before you make any judgment.'

'I wasn't judging. I was just curious as to why the nest of vampires instills such fear in you, I heard your voice shake.'

'Well forgive me, but I was a little shaken from almost being killed!' she replied, her anger seeping through, and the strange thing was that she didn't even know why she was angry at Gabriel, he hadn't really done anything wrong.

'You were shaken from the nest.' He retorted, knowing that he should stop before they said things they regretted and someone got hurt, but he couldn't help but battle this woman, something about her made him angry and intrigued all at the same time, she was too damn mysterious for her own good.

'I was shaken from the attack, and the fact that I didn't know how many there were going to be. They took the both of us by surprise, that never happens, and I will make sure that it doesn't happen again.' She replied, poking him in the chest with her finger, hard.

'Phoenix…'

'No, how dare you assume anything about who I am or what drives me to do what I do? I am here to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves and that is it. There is nothing else.' Tears sprouted in her eyes and for once she was glad that she had to wear her glasses to hide the scars, it made it much easier for her to hide her emotions.

'Adalia, he wasn't trying to…' started Michael, but a single look from his charge silenced him instantly.

'I'll be outside if you all decide that I can handle this nest.' She replied scathingly as she scooped up her bag and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her, wishing all three of the men behind her a week in hell.

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So there it is, the latest chapter, I hope you all like it. I know it's kind of short, but I've been having some trouble getting in the mood to write for this story, so leave me all your thoughts and criticism and I will take them into consideration and try to use them to better my story, so please read and review.

Andrew's Slinky


	7. Chapter 7

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Hey, I am finally back, so sorry for the lengthy time between updates, but this story has been causing me a lot of trouble, but I hope you like this chapter anyway.

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Phoenix had been stalking around outside for a few hours and she could tell that it was starting to get dark, yet she didn't have the desire to go back to the village and confront the men that she had run out on just a few hours before. She knew the looks that she would get, the pity and the fake understanding, and she didn't want it. She didn't need it. What she needed was time, but she knew that there wasn't enough of it. Not enough today, or tomorrow, or for the rest of her life, there would never be enough time for her to get over or forget, or come to terms with what had happened the last time she had fought a nest of vampires. The pain was never going to go away, it would always exist deep in her heart and subconscious mind.

"Zachary get out of here!" Zachary looked back at her, his green eyes wide in surprise at finding her here.

"Go Adalia, I'll be fine!" he retorted, his face harsh and cold.

"But we won't be, Zachary, please!" her voice was panicked and she hugged the little girl in her arms closer to her chest, trying to block her from view.

"Adalia, take Sarah and run, go, get out of here, I'll take care of it!" he shouted back to her, heading forward with a dagger in his hand, a cross around his neck. Adalia watched him, her eyes wide in fear, she took a step towards him, intent on helping when he turned and saw her actions, his concentration fully on her.

"Zachary, look out!" she screamed as a vampire loomed behind her husband. He spun quickly, but not quickly enough, the vampire lurched forward and bit down onto his neck. Adalia screamed as Zachary's lifeless body hit the floor and more vampires poured out of the room that the first had come from. They filled the room and the only thing that Adalia could think to do was to hit the floor, covering her young daughter's body with her own, prayers flying from her tongue.

The vampires piled onto them, tearing mother and daughter apart.

"No!" Adalia screamed as her baby girl was taken from her sight, tears and fear welling up in her sweet green eyes that matched her father's.

"Sarah! No!" she struggled and bit and scratched and hit and did anything in her power to get closer to her daughter, to save her, but she couldn't make it, she couldn't get away from the vampires that filled the room.

"Adalia!" Michael had entered the room, his eyes wide, and a large silver cross in his hand.

"Back!" he shouted to the vampires who all quickly backed away from the large cross, letting go of Adalia.

"Sarah." She breathed, starting forward, but Michael wrapped an arm around her waist and dragged her out of the room, kicking and screaming.

Her husband and daughter had both been murdered that day, and Michael had entered her life by saving it. The pair had been inseparable since, but Phoenix could never rid her mind of the fateful day that had made her a monster-hunter.

Zachary had been a very successful monster-hunter, but when Sarah had been born he had sworn to himself and to Phoenix that he would stop, that he would get a different job, a safer job, and stay home more to take of his family. But then he had gotten a call from a desperate village with a major vampire problem and he had gone, leaving a note for his wife to find the next morning. She had instantly taken off after him, Sarah in her arms. She wanted to reason with him, wanted him to come back home and forget all the nonsense and the danger.

When she'd found him he had been in an old house, she had no idea it was infested with vampires and had gone after him, unknowingly damning him and their daughter. She never would forgive herself for what her actions had brought to light, the only good thing of that day was that she had met Michael and he had taken care of her. Supported her in her decision to take over where her husband had left off. But now, now he was questioning her motives, questioning why she was still doing this. She didn't know herself. She knew that one day she hoped to come across the vampires that had murdered her husband and daughter, but she knew that was a slim to none chance. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of vampires out there, and she had no idea if they were even still alive, or undead, as it were.

'Adalia, come inside.' Michael's voice drifted over the cold air and she turned towards him, tears pouring down her cheeks from the mere memory of that day.

'I can't do this Michael, not without you, please.' Her voice cracked horribly and she stopped, embarrassed. Her best friend in the entire world sighed and walked over to where she was, wrapping his strong arms around her, holding her tight.

'I won't go anywhere, I promise you.' He murmured against her hair, her hat tumbling down to the ground.

'I can't do this alone, I know that I could never truly…that doing this won't bring them back, but I can't let them die in vain Michael, please, I need your help.' She stuttered between sobs and he held her tighter.

'You won't have to do it alone Adalia; I promise you that, I will do everything in my power to help you. But I do think that you will need Mr. Van Helsing for this.' He was hesitant to speak the last part but did it anyway, knowing that she would need to hear it eventually.

'I can't lose someone else due to my incompetence, I won't let it happen.' The sobs disappeared into mere sniffles, and her voice became much stronger, but Michael still held her close.

'It won't happen, he's an experienced fighter…'

'So was Zachary.'

Michael sighed before letting go of his charge, holding her at an arms length to get a good look at her.

'Just ask him, Phoenix, he's here to help you.'

She nodded slowly and the pair of them headed back towards the hotel, reaching the door just as the last tip of the sun disappeared behind the horizon, flooding the world in darkness.

'Mr. Van Helsing?' asked Phoenix once they had reached the room where Gabriel and Carl were waiting for them.

'Yes?' he replied, somewhat apprehensive.

'I need your help.'

'I'll do anything I can.' He replied, a small smile gracing his features. A smile that she slowly returned before extending her hand for his.

'Thank you.'

He reached out and the pair of infamous monster-hunters grasped hands, slowly shaking them in a silent agreement of loyalty.

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I know this chapter is short, even shorter than the one before it, but I needed to post something and this is what came to be. You all finally know the back-story of Phoenix. She was married and a mother. That dynamic will be explored more in later chapters, but for now I would be forever grateful if you would read and review, give me your thoughts on what you'd like to see and I'll do my best to update soon.

Andrew's Slinky

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	8. Chapter 8

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She didn't know why in the hell she had asked for his help, sure she needed help, she would begrudgingly admit that, but she did not need **his** help. He was a smug little bastard and he annoyed her to no end. He was always staring at her as though she were some sort of puzzle box that he had yet to figure out and when she'd catch him watching, or comment on it he would simply flash her a charming grin and change the subject, or ignore it completely, like she didn't know what he was up to.

'Phoenix?' his voice grated on her nerves as they sat in the dark together, watching and waiting.

'What?' her answer was snippy but still a whisper as she turned to look at him, balancing with expert precision in her perch up in the tree they had been staking out the forest in.

'What are you thinking about?' he asked her and when she looked at him to give him a glare he just smirked at her, knowing that he had gotten to her.

'Why does it matter? We're here for a hunt, nothing else, now hush.' She snapped, putting a finger to her lips to show him what she wanted him to do.

'Are you sure, you look like you were concentrating hard on something.' He replied, a smug grin to his voice and on his face.

'I was, but I don't want to talk about it, hush.' She sent him another dirty look and he chuckled at her reaction. She rolled her eyes up to the sky, counting backwards from ten so she didn't leap across the small branch separating them and tackle him to the ground.

'C'mon, you're going to have to trust me sometime.' He whispered, his voice soothing.

'Wanna bet on it?' she retorted quickly, her irritation palpable.

'Not really the gambling type.' He whispered, his breath grazing her neck and she jerked away from him, tilting dangerously on her perch, as small gasp echoing from her throat.

'You know what, maybe I should just shove you out of this tree and down there into the…' he slapped a hand over her mouth, his eyes darkening considerably.

She raised an eyebrow in question but he didn't say anything, he merely shook his head and gestured below them. She nodded her head to show him that she understood and he let go of her.

She looked down and had to hold back a gasp. Just below their perch was a very large, and very muscular werewolf, the hair on his back thick and dark chocolate brown, no white around his muzzle. He was a fresh turned wolf, inexperienced and violent, a very dangerous thing, it made him unstable.

And then something happened that made Phoenix's heart pound irrationally fast and so loudly that she was sure that Van Helsing could hear it even from the few feet that separated them. Two of the vampire coven they had unveiled just days before walked into view, their pale skin shining iridescent under the moonlight, dark clothing wrapped around their bodies giving them the accurate look of death. They headed straight for the werewolf and when they reached it, it sniffed the air before coming to their side like an obedient dog, something that neither monster hunter had ever seen in their life.

Phoenix and Van Helsing traded frightened looks at this newest development.

If the vampires and werewolves were working together then they were screwed.

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'They're working together, they're working together, and we are in major trouble.' Phoenix had been pacing around her hotel room for the past twenty minutes and was starting to make the men watching her dizzy.

'We can handle it.' Soothed Gabriel, reaching for her, but she stepped out of his range, not wanting to be touched. Then she sent him a glare that would have set hell to freezing temperatures only pausing enough to glare before continuing her pacing.

'Phoenix, calm down, you're wearing a hole in the floor.' Michael stepped in, placing a calming hand on her shoulder, but she shook him off.

'Michael, the vampires are working with the werewolves, and they aren't controlling them, it looks more like they're working together on something.' The fear in her voice filled the room and it made shivers run down the spines of everyone.

'What would they be working together on?' asked Gabriel, his question directed at Phoenix and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling, a loud sigh escaping her throat.

'I don't know, but I don't like it.' She shook her head.

'What would they be after?' Gabriel inquired again.

'My guess? Us.' She retorted, still pacing.

'We interrupted their coven, and now they know who we are.' Gabriel explained both to himself and to the room at large, unsure if he was trying to explain this away or trying to soothe the fear.

'Oh my God.' Stuttered Carl, sinking down into the chair by the window.

'So what else is new, I mean, you must have monsters coming for you all the time.' Stated Michael, looking over at Gabriel with a critical eye, unsure of why it was that he was so nervous.

'Yes, but single monsters, not a whole coven of vampires with a legion of werewolves.' Snapped Gabriel, a slight fear boiling into his own voice as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

'Okay, we need to stay calm.' Stated Phoenix as she ran a hand through her hair, wincing as her palm brushed against the white bandage over the gash on the back of her head.

'Calm about what? A coven of vampires?' retorted Carl in sarcasm.

'Look, we can't freak out, that's how mistakes are made and people get killed. We need a battle plan.' She replied, trying to keep the air in the room calm so that no one got too overheated and said something that they'd all regret later.

'A battle plan against a group of monsters that we don't even know how many there are.' Retorted Gabriel, a sigh escaping his lips.

'Yeah, that's basically where I was going with this.' She nodded in response.

'Okay, so what's the plan?' he asked her, preparing himself for what it was that they were going to have to face, and taking a small comfort in the fact that they weren't going to have to face it alone, but together.

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Okay another chapter out, I know, I know, not very eventful, but it is a filler chapter that will get us to the next one where the real action will start to happen. So keep reading and reviewing.

Andrew's Slinky


	9. Chapter 9

So sorry for the late update, I've been battling the flu and AP classes and trying to raise money for my trip to Spain in March, and things have gotten so crazy. I know I've been neglecting this story and I apologize. So please don't hate me.

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'The plan, the plan, am I supposed to come up with this plan?' she snapped at him.

'Yes.'

'Okay okay, let me think. We need more hunters.'

'More hunters?' echoed Carl.

'Yes, we're too few. Even with both of our experiences combined Gabriel and I are no match for a coven of vampires with a legion of werewolves at their disposal. We need more.' She explained, rolling her eyes.

'Well I don't know about you, but I don't have a book with a list of names of all the vampire hunters in the world.' Gabriel broke in sarcastically.

'Maybe you don't, but what about your Order? The Nights of the Holy Order, wouldn't they know?' she asked him, curious.

'They might, but, I will probably be in trouble for staying without telling them and I doubt they'll want to help me all that much.' He snapped at her, resentment in his voice.

'They wouldn't want you to be helped?' she asked him, surprise in her question, wondering why an Order that sent a hunter out to his possible death each night wouldn't want to help him destroy the very creatures that they had been told God ordained him to kill.

'They want to help, but…' he trailed off, unsure of exactly what he wanted to say and she sent him a superior smirk.

'They help us, we'll be able to take this coven down.' She nodded, sure that what she was telling the three men before her was the truth.

'It'll take too long, there must be more monster hunters but they must come from all over the world, we can't wait for them to appear.' Carl was always the voice was reason.

'Carl's right Adalia, you don't have the time, especially since the coven knows of both you and Mr. Van Helsing.' Michael agreed with the monk.

Phoenix sighed and rubbed her now throbbing temples.

'Very well, I suppose you're right. But we could ask for their help and stall for time.'

'How much time?' Gabriel looked over at Carl who did a quick calculation in his head.

'A few weeks at best.'

'Damn.' Phoenix swore, 'Think we can stall that long?'

'Probably not, there are too many and now that they knew we're here, they could come after us.'

'What if you went after them?' asked Carl.

'How exactly is that stalling?' asked Phoenix as she turned on him, annoyance in her voice.

'He's only trying to help.' Snapped Gabriel and Phoenix bit her tongue, sighing and mentally counting to ten before replying.

'I'm sorry Carl, forgive me, I'm just worried is all.'

Carl nodded, the look on his face telling her that he knew she hadn't meant it and he forgave her.

'How do we stall?' asked Michael, coming into the conversation.

'Is there any way that we could, possibly, find something else to occupy them with?' asked Phoenix, curious as to the other's points of view.

'I don't know, what are they concentrating on now?'

'That's the problem, we don't really know.'

'So we have to distract them from something that we don't know about, using ways we haven't figured out yet, so that monster hunters whom we've never heard of, can get here and help us stop them from doing whatever it is that we don't know they're doing.' Michael summed up and while Carl and Gabriel gave him disbelieving and confused looks Phoenix giggled.

'Exactly.'

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	10. Chapter 10

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--

Okay, so I just now got some inspiration for this fic, and I hope you won't kill me for taking so long with it.

--

'Are you sure that recon is a good idea?' asked Michael as he followed Phoenix through the darkening streets of the village as he headed for the open forest where Van Helsing awaited her.

'Calm down Michael, its still too light for vampires, I know what I'm doing.' She tried to soothe her watcher, but he didn't look too convinced that she knew what she was doing. He obviously thought that she was touched in the head, especially after what had happened with the coven.

Phoenix knew that Michael was just trying to help, he loved her, but he was starting to get as bad as Carl in his worry.

'We still have a few weeks until the rest of the hunters get here, and we took long enough to get in touch with all of them, Phoenix we cannot afford for the vampires to know what we are doing, if you and Van Helsing go after them you could be killed.'

'I know all this.' Her voice was hard and cold; she had had enough of his negativity and worry.

'Do you? Because I don't think you're taking it seriously.' He retorted harshly as he continued to follow her into the dimly lit woods. She sent him a harsh look over her shoulder but did not reply in turn.

'Phoenix, up here.' Gabriel's voice echoed from up above her and she looked up at him.

'What are you doing up there?' she asked him a bit amusedly, thinking that he looked absolutely ridiculous up in that tree.

'Recon.' He answered her honestly as he gave her a hand up into the tree and she settled on the thick branch next to him. Michael followed her up and shared the branch with his charge.

'What exactly do we expect to find?' Michael asked just a few minutes later.

'Why the vampires are working with the werewolves, they hate one another, we need to know why they would throw away centuries of rivalry for a common cause. And whatever it is, it can't be good.' Gabriel answered, not turning to face either person to his left, merely staring hard into the gathering darkness.

'Why do they hate each other?' whispered Michael.

'No one really knows for sure.' Phoenix answered.

'I doubt that even they know, but they're willing to let it slide, and we need to know why.' Gabriel joined in before gesturing for the others to be quiet as the sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon and the darkness enveloped their part of the world.

--

They had been sitting in silence for over two hours when their prey finally entered the woods. The same two vampires from before were joined by three werewolves, but when they reached the clearing just a few feet from Phoenix and Gabriel's hiding place the three werewolves changed back into their human form, the moon no longer holding her sway. Phoenix gasped noticeably as the moonlight crossed over their naked forms before they covered with robes that the vampires had brought along.

Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the shocked woman and they exchanged a significant look. Without the pull of the moon, the werewolves had just become ten times more dangerous.

"Did you bring the supplies?" asked the eldest werewolf, his black hair dangling just past his shoulder blades and visible scars all over his torso.

"What do you think we are, fools? Why would we call the meeting if we didn't have the supplies?" snapped the nearest vampire and the werewolf growled in response, taking a singular step closer before his two counterparts pulled him back.

"Heinlein, stay calm, we are all here for the same purpose and killing one another gets us nowhere." Soothed the next in line, his blonde hair cropped close to his head.

"Fine, but these bloodsuckers better not mess anything up." Heinlein snapped in response and the two vampires stepped closer themselves, baring their fangs.

"You better watch your tongue dog, before we remove it." They threatened and Heinlein stepped forward again, his own teeth bared and a low growl in his chest.

"Try it." He sneered and the elder of the two vampires stepped forward, his hand going out and closing around Heinlein's neck.

"Stop! What is this nonsense?" came a cultured voice from the shadows and Phoenix felt Michael's grip on her elbow tighten.

"The dogs started it." Excused the vampires but the owner of the voice didn't look too convinced.

"You have a temper as well James, Heinlein I don't want bloodshed within the coven." The shadows finally relinquished their hold on the owner of the voice and a woman stepped forth, her red hair luminescent in the moonlight, her eyes dark and unforgiving, a regal stance to her person and an almost ancient air around her.

"He isn't a part of my coven." Growled Heinlein, a strip of fur erupting along his spine as his transformation was triggered by his anger.

"Heinlein! Stop." Growled the woman and the fur that had erupted disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived.

"James, please apologize to Heinlein."

James looked revolted by the mere suggestion of apologizing to the werewolf but he didn't dare ignore a command made by his mistress.

"I apologize." He tilted his head in a gesture of forced respect and the woman gave him a sickly sweet smile that didn't reach her dark eyes.

"Good, now Heinlein it is your turn."

Heinlein looked just as hesitant and revolted as James had, but also did not have the power to ignore a request by his mistress.

"I apologize also." He stated quietly, but he did not tilt his head even in a forced respect, he stood straight as a rod, refusing to bend.

"Very good, I don't want fighting."

"Mistress, will we raise him tonight?" asked the other vampire, Robert.

"Not tonight, we will need more power than the six of us here possess." She replied, eyes still as hard as flint even when she sent him a small smile and placed a seemingly caring hand on his shoulder.

--

Phoenix crawled across her branch until she reached the one that Gabriel was perched silently upon and joined him, sitting just behind him.

"We should go." She whispered, not wanting to deal with the woman that they all called Mistress.

"Not yet, we need to know who they're raising."

"Does it matter? That woman is a Master Vampiress, even with our combined strengths we could not defeat her." Phoenix whispered urgently, some of her terror seeping into her voice.

"You can take Michael and go if you wish, but I'm staying here." Gabriel retorted somewhat viciously and Phoenix gave him an affronted look. She was a monster hunter, and a good one at that, goddammit and she was not going to let him talk to her like she was a child.

"Look, we cannot take this woman."

"We aren't trying to, not yet."

Phoenix sighed deeply, but otherwise kept her mouth shut, she didn't trust herself to refrain from pushing him out of the tree and letting the coven beneath them tear into his flesh if he said something else snippy so she ended the conversation right there.

--

The coven beneath them stood in a circle of silence, their backs straightened in an almost uncomfortable way, their eyes closed and their hands clasped. They said nothing, and nothing seemed to be happening, but the sight of werewolves and vampires together in a circle like that was chilling all the same.

"It is as though his spirit is with us." Mistress stated, her eyes opening and yet adding no further emotion to her face than they had when closed tightly just a few seconds before.

"We must raise him, the full moon will be gone in two days, and then we will have to wait another month for the timing to be right." James stated, sounding a bit impatient.

"We will raise him on the last day of the full moon as planned, James." Heinlein retorted, his voice as hard as Mistress's eyes.

"No."

"Mistress?"

"We must wait until the next month."

"But…"

"No, the last day of the full moon next month is Friday the thirteenth, it will be much easier for us to raise him then, we must wait." She nodded, finalizing the conversation, until one of the other werewolves, Edmund, snorted in exasperation.

"We cannot wait that long, we will need him soon, those hunters are snooping around."

Mistress's cold gaze landed on him and even the three in the tree felt the crackle of power that emanated from her.

"Those hunters are of no consequence, and I will not have questioning of my methods, Edmund." She placed a gentle hand on his cheek and for a split moment it looked as if his reprimand was over, until she brought her fingers down fast and hard against his cheek, drawing four identical lines of blood. Edmund's head snapped to the side as a whimper of pain escaped him, he placed a hand against his bloody cheek and stared at his mistress in fear, but she showed absolutely no signs that it had fazed her in the least little bit, she merely held out a hand and Edmund's look of terror was paralyzed on his countenance as he started to choke from an invisible force. He grasped at the invisible hands against his windpipe and kicked as he was lifted into the air by the mere gaze of his mistress. He struggled and kicked and clawed for a little over a minute before he went limp and his body was released and slammed into the cold, hard ground with an audible thump. His mistress merely turned to the others, each of whom looked shocked.

"I will not have discord among my coven." She told them calmly before leaving the clearing, heading off back to the grip of the shadows, leaving the others to stare from her to the dead body of their once friend then back to the empty space that had held their mistress.

The two werewolves left picked up the body of their counterpart and headed out of the clearing as well, it took a few moments but the vampires eventually followed them, their faces still holding traces of shock, and it was evident that they had never seen their mistress kill before.

--

The trio in the tree waited a little over twenty minutes before finally climbing down from their perch and sending frightened looks to each other.

"We're in trouble."

--

I am so so so so sorry for leaving this story for four months I feel really guilty, but for some reason every time I tried to write this chapter I couldn't get it to work, but I changed the direction of the story and this is what I produced, what do you think? Please please please read and review, I suffer from review greed and I need a fix real bad.

Andrew's Slinky


	11. Chapter 11

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Phoenix paced around her hotel room, Gabriel was filling in Carl and Michael had gone out to retrieve their first few arrivals of fellow monster hunters. She didn't know what she was supposed to be doing, so she wasn't doing anything, she was just pacing, wishing that she hadn't taken this fight as her own. She wished that she had just headed home, not gone to this village and insisted on fighting the vampires, but she had been so intent on finding the coven that had murdered her family that she hadn't even hesitated. She was so stupid to think that she could do this. She wasn't strong enough for this; she didn't have the heart to do it anymore. She didn't want to, dammit! She had had enough!

Her mirror shattered and she stared at the shards of glass for a moment, unsure of what had happened and then looked down at her bloody fist. There were shards of glass in it and she just stared at it as though she was unsure why it was even attached to her body. She couldn't grasp onto why the mirror was broken and so was the skin on her hand.

"Phoenix, I heard a crash." It was Gabriel. He looked around the room before finally settling on her bloody hand and broken mirror.

"What the hell did you do?" he asked her almost angrily as he stepped closer to her to inspect the damage.

"I was married, with a child, and then it was all taken away." She murmured as he sat her on the bed.

"What?" he asked her; unsure as to why she was telling him this, and whether or not she had made it all up.

"I was married to a monster hunter, we had a daughter, and my husband went to take care of a nest of vampires, I went after him and took Sarah with me. They were both killed. I became a monster hunter that day. And I've never looked back, never wanted a life without it, until now. I can't do it anymore. I can't keep fighting for them; I can't keep fighting for a cause that isn't going to ever end. I'll never find them, I'll never be able to hold my daughter or kiss my husband again, so what's the point? What's the point of fighting so damn hard when nothing changes? For every monster we kill, there are thousands more to take its place, it never ends. Ever." Her voice never changed, it remained just as hollow and broken throughout her entire speech as Gabriel gently bandaged her hand after removing the glass from it.

"We fight because it's the right thing to do." He told her, a small hitch to his voice, as he suddenly understood why she pushed people away so damn hard.

"What right thing? You think God wants us to do this? You think God took my family away from me so that I'd fight these monsters, my husband was already fighting, why the hell do I have to?" she demanded, rage in her voice now.

"God works in ways that we'll never understand." Gabriel started but she cut him off.

"I'm so tired of hearing that. I am so sick of mysterious ways and things that always happen for a reason. What was the reason for my husband's death? For the murder of my baby daughter? What was the mysterious way for my part in this fight? I hate this, I hate the fight, I hate the death, the destruction, I've had enough of it, I don't want to be here anymore, I don't want to do this anymore, I can't." she shook her head, tears overwhelming her and she pulled her hand from Gabriel's and took off her glasses, pushed her hat off her head and sat there, not caring if everyone in the world could see her scars, not caring if God smote her down right then and there.

'I want you to listen to me."

She didn't look at him.

"I said listen."

She reluctantly turned her face towards him.

"What?"

"You have to keep fighting, don't let this woman intimidate you."

"I'm not, I can't do this anymore, I can't keep the world from ending."

"Then you are letting down all the people that you swore to protect, all the people that your husband died protecting." He let go of her hand, anger filling his chest and left the room, slamming the door behind him and leaving Phoenix, broken and alone, sobbing her heart out on the bed.

--

"How many do we have, Carl?" asked Gabriel, viewing the people coming towards them.

"Looks like five, not nearly enough." The friar replied somewhat downtrodden, as he viewed the group of men greeting Michael.

"Okay, looks like we have James from Bulgaria, Anthony from London, Robert from Germany, Caesar from Italy, and Max from Ireland."

"Nice to meet you gentlemen, we have a serious problem…" Gabriel started only to be interrupted.

"And we're going to need all of your help to fix it." Phoenix stood at the top of the stairs, her glasses back on and her hat in her hands, her stance clear that she was not messing around.

Michael addressed the group next, which gave Phoenix time to step next to Gabriel.

"I figured that you were right, I don't want my husband or my daughter to die in vain, I know I can't bring them back but I will do my best to avenge them. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, this was a personal decision. If you truly didn't want to do this, you wouldn't be here right now."

She gave him the smallest of smiles, which he returned readily. Then they turned to face their newest recruits, they had to find a plan.


	12. Chapter 12

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Saying that you needed a plan was much easier than actually figuring one out. The group of monster hunters had been sitting together for over an hour and hadn't gotten any closer to having a solid plan.

"We need to know who they're planning on raising." Stated Max in his distinctive brogue and Phoenix looked over at him.

"And exactly how do you plan on doing that? This is a coven of vampires and werewolves working together. Whatever it is that they're raising, it won't be good for us, and invading their space to find out what it is won't get us anywhere."

"She's right, we can't risk getting exposed. If they know that there are more of us then they'll know that we're on to them, and then they'll be able to modify their plans. We can't let them know that we know." Anthony spoke, his grey eyes tired.

"Well we can't go into battle blind."

Phoenix sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"You're both right. We can't let them know that we know, but we can't not know who they're raising."

"So we need a plan where we can gather information without them knowing what we're up to." Van Helsing joined the conversation and Phoenix smiled over at him.

"Exactly, the only question is, how do we do that?"

Silence echoed around the room as each monster hunter looked to the next for a new idea.

"It sounds like you're going to need spies." Carl spoke up and Phoenix turned to look at him as the men around the table all smiled.

"Carl, you're brilliant."

More silence.

"I am?"

"That's exactly what we need, spies."

"They're vampires and werewolves, how can we get spies?" Gabriel asked and Phoenix sighed, nodding.

"You're right, but it's still a good idea I mean, if we could have someone on the inside, then we could get important information without anyone being hurt."

"What if we didn't have someone on the inside, but just got someone in the coven's hiding place long enough to gather information?" asked James, and Phoenix smiled at him.

"That's brilliant. We create a distraction and steal the information. I like it."

"What kind of distraction?" asked Carl and Phoenix's eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh, I didn't think of that. What is going to distract a coven of vampires and their legions of werewolves?"

--

Carl stood in place next to the large corral of horses that was set on the edge of town. Max and Anthony stood next to him, each with a whip. They stood in the falling dusk, awaiting their signal from Phoenix and Gabriel that the rest of the groups were ready.

"Do they really think this will work?" asked Max. Carl shrugged.

"I don't know, I never know with Van Helsing."

Anthony chuckled.

"Well, the plan was thought up by a woman."

Carl nodded, looking out over the horizon.

"True, but it would be in your best interest not to underestimate her."

Anthony looked over at Max for a moment, and then shrugged.

Then the flash of a torch was seen through the trees.

"That's the signal!" cried Carl and both Anthony and Max cracked their whips at the nearest horses, frightening them and sending them off. It was a domino effect; the horses took off in a mob, in the direction of the coven's hiding place, Max and Anthony running after them to make sure that they ended up where they wanted them. The perfect distraction.

--

The ground shook, knocking items off shelves, rattling the furniture, and frightening the coven inside.

"What is that?"

Each vampire and werewolf looked around in slight fear, none having any idea what could shake the ground so horribly.

"Look!"

The windows were rushed upon and each undead eye was fixed on the dark, moving mass that was speeding towards them.

"What the hell is that?"

The mass got closer and then it was very obvious what it was made of.

"Horses."

They all looked around in a stupor, none sure of what would drive horses to stampede but none wanting to stay around to find out. The werewolves each transformed and tore off into the woods, howling in fear and anger. The vampires took off next, exploding in a fury of teeth and wings, shooting off into the sky like a black mass of birds, shrieking their displeasure at having to start their hunting early.

--

Phoenix, Gabriel and Michael stood in the woods, silent, listening as the horses sped towards the coven's hiding place and the shrieks and howls of anger could be heard as the werewolves and vampires took off into the night, avoiding the massive stampede.

"Let's go." Phoenix took a step forward, but Gabriel took hold of her arm.

"Wait, we have to wait for the signal."

Phoenix sighed unhappily. She was jumpy, not looking forward to entering the coven's home. The last time she had done that, it hadn't worked out so well, for anyone involved. She wanted to get in and get out, preferably with the plans of the coven in hand. Her hands twitched impatiently.

"Look, there it is, the signal!" cried Michael, pointing towards the east, where two flickers of light alerted them to the fact that it was safe to go ahead with the rest of the plan.

"All right, let's go." Gabriel led the way, Phoenix tight on his heels, and Michael trailing behind, crossing himself as he went. They reached the dilapidated home and nodded to Anthony and Max, who melted back into the night, keeping watch for the return of the members of the coven, and watching the now calm horses.

"What should I be looking for?" asked Michael and Phoenix shrugged.

"Anything that could tell us who they're planning to raise."

Michael nodded and headed into the house, his eyes sharp, looking for evidence. Phoenix took the front rooms as Gabriel headed up the stairs, shooting one last concerned glance back at the only female monster hunter left alive, her hat square on her head, and her chin held high in defiance, as though she was daring her imagination to try and run away with her.

Phoenix let out a heavy stream of air, pushing her hat back from her eyes so that she could investigate better, her tinted glasses in hand to expose as much light as possible. She rifled through old papers and several hand written letters, none of them telling her too much until she came across a letter. It had been written a little over five years earlier.

_Dear Mr. Frankenstein,_

_It is vital to our and your survival that you stop working for Dracula. We need your expertise to create a new breed. A new, stronger, faster, smarter, vampire. If you continue to create this monster, then we will have to end your research. Permanently. Dracula can pay you, but can he protect you? It is necessary for you to respond formerly, and soon. If not, we will assume your answer is no, and then we will have to take drastic and lethal measures to end what it is that you are doing. Do not underestimate our power over the people of your village. End your experiment for Dracula and start the research that we pay you for or you will not survive to see what will happen to the creature that you are currently working on. Do not forget what our agreement was. End the experiment. Now._

The letter wasn't signed, but it was written on a sheet of stationary with an elaborate letter G at the top. Phoenix's heart pounded rhythmically in her chest. She knew who the vampires were raising, she knew what they wanted, and she knew what would happen if they got it.

"Gabriel!" she shouted, and her fellow monster hunter tore down the stairs, his eyes wild and a silver stake in his hand. Michael appeared from the back rooms, the cross from his rosary held out before him.

"Adalia, are you all right?" he asked her as he reached her side. She nodded, her hands shaking as she held the letter out to him.

"I know who they're going to resurrect, and why."

Gabriel looked confusedly form her to Michael and then back. Michael gasped, his own hands starting to shake.

"Who?" asked Gabriel.

Michael gulped.

"They want to resurrect Frankenstein, to create a new vampire."

Gabriel look from Phoenix to Michael and his eyes grew wider with each pass. A shrill whistle came from outside and the trio turned, looking out the broken windows.

"They're back."

"Time to go."

The three ran from the house, Phoenix leaping out of an already shattered window just as a group of werewolves appeared in the back of the house, slobber and foam drenching their muzzles, and their panting heavy. Each turned back and stood in the moonlight, their skin glistening with sweat.

"They missed the house."

They sounded surprised that there was a house still standing for them to come back to.

"Mistress isn't going to like this, it seemed too fake."

The others nodded their agreement.

"But who could control so massive a movement of horses?"

Their leader sighed and shook his long hair out of his eyes.

"No need to tell her what happened until we are sure who created it. After all, we don't want to end up like Edmund, do we?"

The others shook their heads and broke off by themselves, weaving throughout the house, putting things back in order, the fear they felt for retribution from their mistress palpable.

--

So now we know whom they're going to raise. Bum, bum, bum. What will our beloved monster hunters do now? And will Phoenix and Gabriel ever hook up? Stay tuned and find out.

I'm a review junkie and I need a fix real bad.

Read and Review please

Andrew's Slinky


	13. Chapter 13

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"Frankenstein?"

Adalia sat at the head of the table of monster hunters and nodded as her headache intensified. She had most of the puzzle figured out but couldn't quite get a grasp on what exactly she was missing. But a significant portion of the puzzle wasn't in her grasp and that was a little annoying, especially since she had to explain something to a group of people when she didn't even really understand it.

"Yes Frankenstein. They want to resurrect him to create a new breed of vampire." She rubbed her temples to try and lessen her headache.

"A new breed? They're practically indestructible as it is what would they change, and how?" Robert asked, his German rough and almost indistinguishable.

"We don't know, it sounds crazy to us too, but that's what the letter says, and we have to believe that's what they're doing." Gabriel answered and Phoenix felt a little better, knowing that he was on her side, until something in her mind clicked and she got the most disgusting, slimy feeling in her gut.

"Oh my God."

"What?" Michael turned to look at her, his eyes worried, his brow furrowed.

"I know what they're going to do." Her face lost all color and her voice dropped down to a whisper but she was heard as loudly as if she was shouting. The entire room had gone silent. Each man equally curious and terrified as to what she was about to say.

"Adalia, what is it?" Van Helsing asked, using her real name for the first time. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with terror.

"They're combining the species." She felt like she was going to throw up and if he hadn't been at her side at that moment she might have.

"What?" Anthony questioned.

"Vampire and werewolf. They're trying to find a way to combine them. Just think, a vampire that can come out in the daylight? Garlic no longer affects them, or crosses? Taking the best of each species and creating a new monster, one that none of us are equipped to fight."

Michael and Carl both held their rosaries and started to pray and Phoenix couldn't help but wondering exactly what it was they expected God to do.

"My God." Gabriel covered his mouth in horror and reached under the table to take Phoenix's hand. She squeezed his hand tightly in hers, glad for the silent support.

"How do we stop them?"

"I don't know." He tightened his grip and she was grateful for that, because she was feeling a little like falling apart.

"Well we need to do something." James murmured.

"Yes, thank you James, really, we had no idea." Phoenix retorted violently.

He glared at her but she would not be intimidated by a Bulgarian.

"Listen, there has to be something that we can do about this. We can't let it happen; there must be something we can do to stop their combinations. The only question is, what exactly are they going to do to combine the species?" Max tried to soothe everyone's frazzled nerves.

"But Frankenstein is dead." Caesar piped up.

"Exactly, so, that means that they have to raise him from the dead." Phoenix responded, the entirety of the picture starting to reveal itself. If they had to raise him from the dead, then they still had time to stop this.

Van Helsing nodded then looked up quizzically.

"Where is he buried?"

"I…" Phoenix stopped, thinking, "I don't know."

Carl sighed and looked over at Gabriel.

"Van Helsing."

"No Carl." Gabriel replied, his voice strained. Carl looked annoyed and the rest of the room looked around in question but no one spoke. No one was sure of what was going on, and Gabriel was doing his best to ignore Carl but the friar would not be ignored.

"Van Helsing, you know that we need to talk to him, he'll know where his creator was buried."

Gabriel opened his mouth to retort when Caesar broke into the conversation.

"Creator?"

Gabriel didn't reply and Carl groaned.

"Van Helsing, we need to talk to him."

"I told him that no one would ever know where he was, if I go to visit him or talk to him, then people are going to know where he is, and they're going to try and take him again, or destroy him."

"Gabriel," Phoenix spoke up, "who are you talking about?"

The infamous monster hunter sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wanted so badly to ignore the people around him but he knew that he couldn't.

"Why would anyone want to destroy him?" Phoenix questioned him again. He remained silent for a seemingly long time. The seconds stretched into what seemed like hours and just as the room was about to explode from the unbearable tension, he groaned and bit his bottom lip.

"Frankenstein's creation, his "monster", he would know where the good doctor was buried." He finally admitted and the room seemed to be able to breathe again.

Phoenix smiled.

"We just caught a break, that's wonderful, we need to talk to him, if we can find the doctor's burial place then we can stop them from resurrecting him, then they'll never be able to combine the species."

Gabriel shook his head.

"No, we can't talk to him; we can't let anyone know where he is."

The entire room erupted into shouts and angry men waving their arms. Gabriel sat back in his seat, ignoring the screams and attempts for him to change his mind.

"Listen!" he shouted over all the din and they quieted.

"I promised him that I wouldn't tell anyone where he was."

Phoenix nodded.

"So we don't tell we just go visit him, get back, get the doctor, and stop the species from combining."

Van Helsing slammed his fist down onto the table angrily.

"I can't take you there!"

The room was deadly silent until James spoke.

"Well, if you and Phoenix go, the rest of us can create a diversion, like we did with the horses."

"Yeah," chimed in Anthony, "then no one will know where he is."

"What kind of diversion should we create?" asked Robert. The room was quiet as they all thought on what they could do. Max grinned, sitting up straighter.

"I've got it," he sounded triumphant, "we all pair off and go in different directions. Whoever Gabriel is so afraid will follow us won't know who to follow."

They all thought on it for a moment.

"It could work, if we all cover up who we are, then they won't know who is who, they can't follow all of us." Michael spoke up.

Gabriel smiled for the first time all day and nodded.

"That sounds like that could work."

Michael returned the smile and nod.

"It could."

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Finally! Another chapter up, and I know that this is totally and ridiculously and unforgivably late, but I hope that you all can stay with me and please, please, please, read and review, tell me that I'm not totally crazy to try and continue this story.

~Andrew's Slinky


	14. Chapter 14

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"Adalia! Calm down, please!" Gabriel ducked again as another trinket was thrown, with surprising force and accuracy, at his head. His hotel room was in ruins. The bed clothes were scattered around the floor, along with shards of glass from the windows, when Phoenix had missed. Bits of splintered wood, blood and a good amount of dust that he still was unsure of where it had come from were splattered on the walls and floor as well. She had even chucked his bible at him. He was really hopeless to attempt to do anything but reason with her and duck. He couldn't get close enough to stop her because every time he did, he got hit with something else. There was a cut above his eye that was bleeding, bruises on his torso, he was sure, and he got the feeling that he had a black eye as well, his bible giving it to him along with the cut on his forehead.

"You…you…" she was in such a fury that she couldn't think of an appropriate insult or swear and instead settled on throwing something else heavy at him, picking up a crystal vase full of fresh flowers from the broken bedside table, this time she succeeded in hitting her target as the glass vase slammed into his shoulder and shattered, oozing water, flowers, and Gabriel's own blood. He looked down at his bloody clothes in surprise and decided to end this, now.

"Dammit woman!" he shouted, stepping over the room in three strides and sweeping her into a giant bear hug, her arms captured between their bodies so that she could do him no more bodily harm.

"Let go of me!" she shouted, twisting and struggling to get away.

"Don't get mad at me, you know it makes sense," he growled low at her, changing the volume of their conversation and startling her into silence, although she continued to glare at him. He smiled down at her, looking completely unaffected by her outburst. There was something very attractive about her when he could see her eyes, scarred as they were, especially now that they were sparking in anger, a passion, a fire. He was tempted to kiss her, but figured that would be pressing his luck in an entirely new way that could quite plausibly get him killed by the woman in his arms.

"Can I let you go now?" he seemed amused by the entire conversation and that only served to further her anger.

"None of this makes sense, it's ridiculous and backwards!" she continued to shout, and as if to emphasize she started to struggle against him again. If she wasn't so angry she might have noticed how comforting it was for someone to hold her again, and how easily his muscular grip kept her still, but as it was, all she could see was red.

He still seemed amused by her.

"Adalia, it isn't backwards, it helps."

She gave one last twist before giving up on trying to escape, he was simply too strong. She didn't believe a word he said, they had decided that they were going to work together, and now he wanted to leave her behind? Over his dead body.

"I'm coming with you!" she said it with such finality that a lesser man would have immediately admitted he'd been wrong, and set her down. Unfortunately for Phoenix, Gabriel was just as stubborn and strong-willed as she was, if not more so.

He sent her a reprimanding look.

"You're still shouting, you know you don't have to, I'm right here."

"Oh, you are infuriating! I am going with you, end of discussion."

He shook his head.

"No actually it isn't, see I still want to talk about it, and you're not exactly going anywhere, are you?"

She glared at him before allowing her head to flop backwards and her body to go limp, making her dead weight, hoping against hope that he'd let her go.

"You know, you weigh what? One hundred pounds, soaking wet? Go limp if you want to, I'm not letting go, we're going to discuss this," he chuckled low in his chest.

She groaned.

He sighed, rolling his eyes and shifting her in his arms, bringing her up into a fireman's lift. She gasped at the new position, her arms wrapping tight around his shoulders to feel more secure. She hadn't been expecting that, and being eye to eye with him was a little startling. He was an attractive man, she'd noticed before, but there was something dangerously intimate about the way that he was holding her and the way that he was looking at her. It made her heart flutter in a completely inappropriate but delightful way.

"Listen, I'll put you down if you promise not to throw anything at me, and to stay here and discuss this."

She contemplated for a moment before giving in.

"Fine, I promise."

He nodded, gently allowing her back onto her own two feet. He kept his hands on her hips till he was sure that she was steady. She smiled gratefully up at him before letting loose a sharp right hook that caught him right on the chin and sent him a few stumbling steps backwards. He gripped it gingerly and looked down at her in surprise.

"I didn't throw anything at you," she shrugged as if that settled it, "Now, are we going to talk about this?"

He moved his jaw experimentally before nodding.

"Yeah, let's talk about this."

She nodded, sitting down on the stripped bed.

"I'm going with you."

He shook his head.

"That isn't a discussion, that's a demand, and no, you're not."

She looked indignant at that, and very much like she wanted nothing more in life than to throw something else heavy at his head.

"Yes, I am, you'll need my help."

"We're only talking to an old acquaintance of mine; besides hiding the fact that you're a woman won't exactly be easy," he retorted.

She stood up, her hands on her hips, and a soft, sexy smile.

"I've never had any complaints before."

Gabriel smiled fleetingly and swallowed heavily, trying not to allow his mind to travel down the road that her response had suddenly paved before him.

"I'm not complaining, I'm simply saying that we need a decoy that can be plausibly mistaken for me, and you aren't it."

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Neither is Carl, or Michael for that matter, and they're still going."

He opened his mouth to answer, getting annoyed with her fighting attitude, when he realized that there was no excuse. She was right, Carl and Michael couldn't be mistaken for him by anyone who knew him; they just weren't the right body type. So why were they coming and not her? She had more fighting experience than either of them, and she was infinitely better to look at. It had seemed a good idea at the time, not letting her come, and his reason had been sound. How in the hell could she just rip through his defenses so easily and destroy all and any plans that he may have had? He shut his mouth and growled in his chest.

"I guess you're right."

She smiled, her arms staying crossed as she sauntered over to him. He gulped again, a part of him worried about the twinkle in her eye and the other part a little turned on by it.

"I told you, now if you had just listened to me in the first place we could have saved ourselves all of this trouble. It would really…"

He kissed her. Really to shut her up more than anything else, until his lips had actually touched hers, and then he was doing it for an entirely different reason. Her lips were smooth, soft, and her taste was something he prayed he'd never forget: peppermint and something earthy that was entirely her. There were no fireworks, no sparks, as they kissed, the world didn't slow or stop. In fact, it seemed to speed up, spinning in violent elliptical motion as his lips moved slowly with hers, his tongue begging her bottom lip for entrance, his hands settling at her waist, dragging her body completely into his, her crossed arms pressing tightly against his chest. She seemed hesitant at first until that very slow opening of her mouth and her tongue reaching up gently to touch his. She gasped the sound disappearing into his mouth as he devoured her. She allowed him to take the lead, his tongue exploring the warm caverns of her mouth, one hand tracing slow, deliberate circles on her hip, the other reaching up to press against the small of her back, pressing her even tighter into him. Her arms left their place between them to wrap up around his neck, her fingers curling into his hair. His entire body shivered as he returned the favor and tugged none-too-gently on her chestnut curls. She rewarded him by biting down on his lower lip; sure she'd left a bruise. This didn't deter him; in fact it seemed to egg him on even more. He growled low in his chest and kissed her harder, his hands traveling down to her ass and hauling her into his growing excitement. She whimpered, standing on her tip-toes, her body pressing insistently into his.

"Gabriel," she murmured against his lips. He groaned in return, stepping forward, pressing her back until they tumbled onto the bed together, him on top of her, pressing down into her body in the most delicious ways that she could ever imagine. His hands settled at her sides, traveling up and over her flat stomach, feeling the scars that resided there, but skipping over them, traveling up further and further until he was just under her breasts, and just as he was about to end her torture the door opened and Carl stumbled in.

"Van Helsing, I thought I…oh dear Lord!"

Gabriel vaulted off of Phoenix as Carl turned away, his hand over his eyes.

"I…I…I am so sorry…I didn't mean…" he stuttered.

Gabriel stood next to the bed as Phoenix slowly sat up, the both of them looking a little more than embarrassed.

"Is there something you wanted, Carl?" Gabriel asked, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous fashion. Phoenix managed to get off the bed and crossed the room to the shattered windows, putting as much distance between her and the man she'd just about had sex with.

"We're going to have to get out of here soon, or they'll make us pay for these windows," she stated as she looked out into the growing dark.

Both Van Helsing and Carl ignored her.

"Carl, what did you want?"

Carl turned back around; his cheeks flushed a bright cherry red. He looked from one monster hunter to the other in a curious manner but didn't make eye contact with either.

"Um, the others and I were, well, mostly the others were wondering who was going to team up with who, it seems that they still have some issues getting along."

Gabriel nodded, sighing.

"Well…"

Carl interrupted.

"Obviously you and Phoenix can't be left alone together."

Gabriel gave him a reproachful look as Phoenix just blushed.

"Carl…"

"All right, all right, but it would be best if you came downstairs and broke up the fights, they look to you and Phoenix to lead them," and with that the friar was gone, leaving the two monster hunters to stand on opposite ends of the room, a little too embarrassed to talk about what had and had almost happened between them just moments before.

"I'm not apologizing for what happened," Gabriel finally turned to look at her.

She shrugged, still looking out the window.

"It isn't like I pushed you away; you have nothing to apologize for."

He crossed the room quickly and brushed the hair off the back of her neck, placing a gentle kiss in the wake of his fingers.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now," he admitted in a whisper. She shivered beneath his warm breath and gripped the glass covered windowsill in order to get a grip on herself.

"Yes well, I suppose," she turned to look at him, "I suppose that I should clean that shoulder."

He grinned, nodding.

"Of course, then we'll handle the fight downstairs?"

She nodded, grabbing his hand and leading him back to the bed, leaving the room for a moment to get her first aid kit. She returned with the black bag and got out her supplies as Van Helsing removed his shirt gingerly.

"Do you think Carl's right?" he asked her after a moment as she gently wiped his cuts clean, pulling out slivers of glass whenever needed.

"About what?" she questioned in response as she taped a bandage across his bruised and scratched shoulder.

"About not leaving us alone together."

She looked inquisitive for a moment before shrugging with a soft smile.

"Well, I suppose that depends on whether or not you can control your hormones, Mr. Van Helsing," she teased, and he smiled back at her, chuckling.

"I don't know, do you think you can?" he replied in turn as he leaned in close to her, his breath whispering across her skin. She involuntarily shivered before leaning in close as well and kissing him gently.

"I think I could, for a night at least."

He grinned wider and gave her one last kiss before she bandaged his temple.

"There, you're all set, let's go down and mediate the teams."

He nodded.

"Yeah, sure."

"Gabriel?"

"Yeah?"

"We better find a new hotel; those windows are going to be expensive."

Gabriel chuckled as they headed downstairs together, ready for the next chapter of their adventure.

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Again, late, I know. I am terrible about updates for this story, and I am sorry, hopefully you guys will review and give me a little inspiration.


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